Could The Parasitic Outbreak Affect Your Disney World Trip?

Disney World does everything possible to accommodate people with allergies, as well as those with certain food intolerances, to make dining an incredible part of your vacation. However, one thing Disney World cannot control is the outbreak of a parasite.

Mixed Greens Salad

The spread of cyclospora cases has been making headline news all over the U.S. Now, CBS News has reported that Florida has also reported cases of cyclosporiasis in recent months. So what does that mean for your Disney World trip? Let’s look at the data.

The CDC has reported cyclospora infections in 17 states, including Florida, with a combined 145 confirmed cases from early May through June 16th. According to ClickOrlando, 36 of those cases have happened in Florida, with the heaviest concentration of cases in Lee and Broward counties.

Tropical Salad at Typhoon Lagoon

The cause of the recent rise in cases hasn’t been determined, but the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has pegged previous outbreaks in the U.S. and Canada to bagged salad mixes, fresh cilantro, fresh basil, raspberries, snow peas, and scallions. This is why the CDC has stressed the importance of washing all fruits and vegetables under running water, as well as scrubbing harder fruits and vegetables.

1981 Salad at Homecomin’

So how does this affect Disney World? Well, no cases have been linked to the theme parks, and part of the fresh produce you eat in restaurants there is actually grown at the resort. If you’ve ever been on Living With the Land in EPCOT, you’ll learn more about how produce is grown for Disney World restaurants. However, because Disney World has so many restaurants and mouths to feed, the rest of its produce probably comes from local farms and food services like Sysco.

Side Caesar Salad

According to the CDC, you’ll usually begin to have symptoms of cyclosporiasis about a week after eating or drinking contaminated food or beverages. Common symptoms include diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, cramping, bloating, nausea, and fatigue. Most who contract the disease recover without needing medical treatment. However, this could mean that there are many unreported cases, so the numbers could be higher.

Tuna Salad Sandwich

Again, no outbreaks have been linked to Disney World, and the Disney World area, including Orange and Osceola counties, has only seen a total of four cases. So, as of now, this outbreak should not cause severe issues for your Disney World vacation.

Cinderella Castle in Magic Kingdom

We’ll keep an eye on the situation and keep you updated, so stay tuned to DFB for more.

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What do you think about these parasitic infection case rising? Let us know in the comments!